Society
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Election, emojis, aliens: here’s what YOU say
Do teenagers know best? Each term, The Day runs daily polls to find out what you think about everything — from international politics to the Loch Ness monster. What did you have to say?
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Flying reindeer and hallucinations in Lapland
Do we need to know where our myths come from? As Christmas Day approaches, we examine the mysterious origins of that much-beloved, white-bearded, reindeer-flying, gift-giver: Santa Claus.
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Record as five black women win beauty crowns
Is this progress? Five black women now hold all the world’s top beauty titles, a development which is being hailed despite the troubled histories and controversial values of pageants.
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Don’t lie about Christmas, warn psychologists
Should we stop telling children the Christmas myth is true? Santa Claus, the chimney and the reindeer: it is the story we all grew up with. But some experts argue these lies can be harmful.
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Winds of change: the UK picks its next leader
Is this the most important election in a lifetime? Both leading parties have policies that would have been unthinkable a few years ago. Voters across the UK will make a huge decision today.
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‘Women make better leaders than men’
Are women better leaders than men? Finland is about to have a new female prime minister — the world’s youngest. Around the globe, female leaders are being praised for their inspiring work.
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Grief and rage in Delhi after factory deaths
Who is to blame for sweatshops? Another disaster has thrown a spotlight onto fast fashion brands that exploit cheap labour. But some argue that the blame falls on appalling local management.
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Curtain to fall on the ‘best decade in history’
Were the 2010s really the best decade ever? Swedish historian Johan Norberg says the statistics prove that the world is happier, healthier, freer and richer than ever.
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Trapped by a whale tusk and fire extinguisher
Is anyone to blame? Usman Khan killed two brilliant, young people who believed in helping criminals, then was cornered by members of the public — before the political accusations started.
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Black Friday: generosity, greed and guilt
Are Christmas presents a waste? “Black Friday” today and “Cyber Monday” mark the start of a huge spending spree in rich countries — big enough to end world hunger for the next eight years.
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‘Third gender’ model becomes Vogue cover star
Is there really a third gender? Estrella Vazquez says her appearance in Vogue is a ‘huge moment’, just weeks after a stunning photo exhibition spotlighted Tahiti’s genderless Mahu community.
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‘The American festival we all should celebrate’
Should Thanksgiving go global? It seems like a holiday that’s as American as pumpkin pie. But there are variants of this day all around the world, revolving around the concept of gratitude.
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Exposed: China’s great brainwashing scandal
Is it any of our business? Leaked documents reveal the “brainwashing” of hundreds of thousands in Chinese prison centres, but critics caution against comparisons to Nazi concentration camps.
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Priceless jewels swiped in dramatic heist
Is it wrong to be fascinated by heists? In the dead of night, robbers made away with a £1 billion haul from one of Europe’s most tightly-guarded castles. It’s a drama of Hollywood proportions.
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The oldest hatred: anti-Semitism on the rise
Is anti-Semitism different from other forms of hate? The British Labour Party and the American Right have both been hit by allegations of Jew-hatred. It has a unique and terrible history.